دانشگاه پیام نور فصلنامه علمی آموزش محیط زیست و توسعه پایدار 2322-3057 14 4 2026 08 23 Identification of Criteria for Implementing Outdoor Education: A Systematic Review Identification of Criteria for Implementing Outdoor Education: A Systematic Review 105 133 13439 10.30473/ee.2026.75968.2893 FA Shahvali Falak M.Sc. Student in Educational Management, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran Afsaneh Abdoli Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Education, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran Ehsan Geraei Associate Professor of Information and Knowledge Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran Journal Article 2025 10 17 Outdoor education, as an innovative approach to experiential learning integrated with the natural environment, plays a pivotal role in enhancing students' cognitive, physical, and social skills. However, challenges in implementing this method within educational systems—including a lack of standardized criteria and contextual factors—have hindered its full potential. This systematic review aims to identify key criteria for the effective implementation of outdoor education by examining the existing literature. This research is a qualitative systematic review with a thematic analysis and interpretive qualitative synthesis approach. A comprehensive search was conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC databases up to November 2024, using relevant keywords (e.g., outdoor education, implementation criteria, field-based learning), which initially identified 785 records. Inclusion criteria, framed by the PICOS framework, comprised peer-reviewed English-language articles focusing on the implementation, criteria, or challenges of outdoor education at primary and secondary levels, encompassing any relevant research design. Exclusion criteria encompassed studies involving preschool or higher education, purely opinion-based pieces, grey literature, or those lacking an emphasis on implementation factors. Following the removal of duplicates (n=2) and a two-stage screening process (title/abstract and full-text review) conducted independently by two researchers—with discrepancies resolved through consensus or consultation with a third assessor—62 articles were ultimately included for analysis. Validity was ensured through peer debriefing and adherence to the PRISMA 2020 checklist, while reliability was established using Gibbs' (2007) procedures. The findings highlighted six primary criteria: pedagogical (45 studies; with the strongest emphasis on active learning and curriculum alignment), organizational (35 studies; managerial support and stakeholder collaboration), human resources (29 studies; teacher competence and student engagement), socio-psychological and evaluation (21 studies each), and environmental (16 studies; accessibility and safety). The major challenges identified included financial-logistical barriers (24 studies), institutional-managerial obstacles (23 studies), human-related issues (19 studies), pedagogical difficulties (16 studies), and environmental-safety concerns (16 studies). These results offer a practical framework for educational policymakers: by prioritizing teacher professional development, strengthening institutional support, and fostering local community collaboration, implementation challenges can be overcome, thereby transforming outdoor education into an effective tool for enhancing environmental literacy, learning motivation, and student well-being in Iran. Outdoor education, as an innovative approach to experiential learning integrated with the natural environment, plays a pivotal role in enhancing students' cognitive, physical, and social skills. However, challenges in implementing this method within educational systems—including a lack of standardized criteria and contextual factors—have hindered its full potential. This systematic review aims to identify key criteria for the effective implementation of outdoor education by examining the existing literature. This research is a qualitative systematic review with a thematic analysis and interpretive qualitative synthesis approach. A comprehensive search was conducted across the Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC databases up to November 2024, using relevant keywords (e.g., outdoor education, implementation criteria, field-based learning), which initially identified 785 records. Inclusion criteria, framed by the PICOS framework, comprised peer-reviewed English-language articles focusing on the implementation, criteria, or challenges of outdoor education at primary and secondary levels, encompassing any relevant research design. Exclusion criteria encompassed studies involving preschool or higher education, purely opinion-based pieces, grey literature, or those lacking an emphasis on implementation factors. Following the removal of duplicates (n=2) and a two-stage screening process (title/abstract and full-text review) conducted independently by two researchers—with discrepancies resolved through consensus or consultation with a third assessor—62 articles were ultimately included for analysis. Validity was ensured through peer debriefing and adherence to the PRISMA 2020 checklist, while reliability was established using Gibbs' (2007) procedures. The findings highlighted six primary criteria: pedagogical (45 studies; with the strongest emphasis on active learning and curriculum alignment), organizational (35 studies; managerial support and stakeholder collaboration), human resources (29 studies; teacher competence and student engagement), socio-psychological and evaluation (21 studies each), and environmental (16 studies; accessibility and safety). The major challenges identified included financial-logistical barriers (24 studies), institutional-managerial obstacles (23 studies), human-related issues (19 studies), pedagogical difficulties (16 studies), and environmental-safety concerns (16 studies). These results offer a practical framework for educational policymakers: by prioritizing teacher professional development, strengthening institutional support, and fostering local community collaboration, implementation challenges can be overcome, thereby transforming outdoor education into an effective tool for enhancing environmental literacy, learning motivation, and student well-being in Iran. https://ee.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_13439_78646a5753edf0b7ea1de3869adcfd19.pdf